EN
Every year, several millions of people all over the world are diagnosed with cancer. Despite the tremendous development of medical sciences, a remarkable number of people die due to late diagnosis or ineffective cancer therapy. Since most of the tumors are highly resistant to drugs, research for new effective therapy methods is continuing. Great expectations for a breakthrough in the fight against cancer are attributed to nanotechnology. A new interdisciplinary field of science dealing with the creation of nanoparticles (NPs) and nanomaterials (NMs) that are variously applied, e.g. in nanomedicine. NPs and NMs have gained an increased consideration in cancer therapy in recent years, performing as carriers of medicine, as well as photo- or sonosensitisers, compounds generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) formed by ultraviolet light (UV) excitation or ultrasound (US) activation, respectively. Targeted therapy is based upon the attachment of specific ligands or antibodies to nanoparticles. This process guarantees not only increased therapy efficiency, but it also lowers the cytoand genotoxicity of the active compound towards the healthy cells. Nano-sized titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) presents an example of a substance with an increasing role in the eradication of tumor cells. Currently, studies are conducted to examine its application, i.e. in the cancer fighting photo- and sonodynamic therapies.